:thanx: First I want say, Thanks to everyone for your support over the last year! This forum and its members have quickly become my favorite group of knife nuts! and enablers!! lol I continue to learn and grow as a maker because of you guys and your input and advise.

Im happy to say we will be offering a new mix of damascus steel shortly! O-1 and L-6 Damascus combination. This is a proven mix that will take what were already doing to the next level. With the addition of Cryo to our Heat Treatment, I have great expectations for the new mix. Ill be making some test blades over the next few months, as time allows. Testing and Refining my HT process, dialing in, so to speak.

Im also excited about a couple new shop toys!!
The first is a long overdue, much needed KNIFE GRINDER! After researching and reading about all of the available grinders on the market. And after much consideration and saving my penny's.. I PULLED THE TRIGGER on a TW-90 horizontal/vertical 2X72 grinder. Wooo Hoooo!!!!!

Quite possibly the finest 2X72 grinder being made today!!! Like I said. Im SUPER excited about the addition of this tool. Its going to be a game changer!! Here are a picture and a web link. http://www.twuertz.com/Product_Specs.html
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And if that wasn't enough.. :D

Im having new toy built!! Its a new forging press.
This was something where we worked directly with the gentleman who made my first press. We made some important design changes to make a BIGGER, TOUGHER, MEANER, STEEL SMASHER!! :viking: The original design is great, and I would highly recommend it.. Yet with a few tweaks, Im thinking this new press will be BULLET PROOF! All we really did was take a good design and make it better! And as it turns out. He likes some of the new features enough that they will be incorporated them into all the future presses he makes. :happymug:

This thing I call knife making has been the most amazing adventure ever!! From the joy and challenges of making things that will be here and useful long after I am gone. To all the great people I have had the pleasure of working with along the way.
I have heard it said many times and many ways. That the journey is more fun the reaching the destination.. In this case. I dont think I will ever reach the destination.. but we sure are having a blast on this great journey! :wink:

God Bless...

Pabloz

03-14-2012, 07:12 PM

Randy,
CONRATULATIONS & welcome to club TW. You'll love it.

PZ

HHH Knives

03-14-2012, 07:21 PM

Thanks Paul. Im sure I will love it!! Im JAZZED about it! Just fired up a cigar and Im sitting back with my stogie dreaming about all the cool things Im gona make!! LOL :D

Taz575

03-14-2012, 07:46 PM

Very cool!!! I may be ordering another blade but with the O-1/L6 in the near future. 210 K tip Petty with a Western Hybrid handle like on the Spiro Nakiri and Tsunami Suji :)

HHH Knives

03-14-2012, 08:49 PM

Sounds good Taz.. Im game to make you a 210 K tip!! :)

Taz575

03-14-2012, 09:10 PM

I looked at my blades and decided I need a "bling" knife :) I like the plain carbon for users, but I need a WOW knife, too!

HHH Knives

03-14-2012, 11:17 PM

Awesome!! I think we should be able to whoop up on some BLING!! :cool2:

I just finished Blinging up a Fallkniven A-1.. I added a little racing stripe and some filework. throw in a couple mosaic pins and some of Craig's Stabilized maple burl and Id say its BLINGTASTIC!! :doublethumbsup:

Taz575

03-14-2012, 11:18 PM

Very cool!

mc2442

03-15-2012, 12:05 AM

How many people complete the song line......to the east side??

Crothcipt

03-15-2012, 01:36 AM

How many people complete the song line......to the east side??

me. Lovely bling there Randy.

jmforge

03-15-2012, 02:07 AM

Nice grinder, sir. Did you buy the surface grinding fixture? Who is making your press? Also, are you going to be using salt to HT the O1/L6 mix? The only thing that has keep me from going with salt is that I can't really do it in the rental space where i am right now. I won't use salt unless I have a nice space off to the side with a metal roof to contain the inevitable volcanic eruption!!!:bigeek::biggrin:

Marko Tsourkan

03-15-2012, 09:21 AM

Welcome to TW-90 club.
My first and definitely not last grinder (second on order for the second half of the year).

M

HHH Knives

03-15-2012, 10:03 AM

Nice grinder, sir. Did you buy the surface grinding fixture? Who is making your press? Also, are you going to be using salt to HT the O1/L6 mix? The only thing that has keep me from going with salt is that I can't really do it in the rental space where i am right now. I won't use salt unless I have a nice space off to the side with a metal roof to contain the inevitable volcanic eruption!!!:bigeek::biggrin:

I'm jazzed up :bliss: about this TW-90 grinder. I did not opt to purchase the surface grinder attachment. But I will say that from the look of that. Its a amazing piece of design and engineering! very impressive.. I have a designated surface grinder, with a belt conversion already. or I would of been all over that attachment..:doublethumbsup:

Like you, JM. I have not started down that road... yet..... Salt pots and all that goes with them is not in the budget this year.. .. One day maybe, but until then. Ill be using my Even heat HT oven. :happymug:

HHH Knives

03-15-2012, 10:09 AM

Welcome to TW-90 club.
My first and definitely not last grinder (second on order for the second half of the year).

M

Thank you, and congrats on the addition of your second one! :D

jmforge

03-20-2012, 10:38 PM

Randy, the thing that really got my attention about Travis' surface grinding attachment is its ability to do precise and simple tapering of blades and tangs. My old Mod 1 calibrated eyeballs don't seem to work as well when the steel gets under 1/10 of an inch thick , so I need all the help that I can get. :big grin: I may have to buy one for my KMG if he has the time to make them.

HHH Knives

03-21-2012, 09:59 PM

I hear ya JM.. That attachment is pure genius! I still may add it to my tool rack one day. I can see so many ways it would be useful from setting a taper, or bevels, to making a integral.. and so much more!!

Now Im impatiently waiting for the new grinder to get built and make the journey to my place!! Im going CRAZY waiting. Did I mention I hate waiting?
Theres been a few times when Im grinding stuff, I have thought. Man that would be so much easier or faster if I had my TW-90!! :D

HHH Knives

04-21-2012, 01:57 PM

Guess what got dropped off at my shop this week?? :bliss: Yep I got it. And its all I hoped and heard it would be and even more! I had not operated one of the TW-90 grinders before making the purchase. and was going solely off of a few friends in the industry telling me how nice the machine was.. Im glad I listened and blessed that we were able to add this one to the shop. Its gona be a game changer for some aspects of my grinding process!

Now that its here, I better go grind some Filet knives. I have 20 in stainless on the bench waiting for this bad boy to arrive.

:trickydicky: :beer: :theline: :guitarist: :bliss:

Crothcipt

04-21-2012, 08:39 PM

lol I would say you are to happy about this. But some times you have to get it were you can take it. Hope it is more than what you expect.:thumbsup:

btw I feel the same way about a new knife.

HHH Knives

04-24-2012, 09:45 PM

This thing is amazing! The TW-90 is without a doubt the finest grinder I have ever used!!! Its only been here a few days, and I'm just beginning to really appreciate the versatility and ability of this precision tool!!! :)

Dave Martell

04-24-2012, 09:49 PM

That sure is nice...congrats!

HHH Knives

04-24-2012, 09:53 PM

Dave, Thank you brother. I am truly blessed. :D

Crothcipt

04-25-2012, 01:06 AM

that is sweet

HHH Knives

05-11-2012, 04:58 PM

Just want to say.. If anyone is thinking about buying a grinder, This thing is AWESOME. Save the extra cash and buy a TW-90 Its worth every penny.. Travis is a great guy to deal with, and his product is first class all the way!

Marko Tsourkan

05-11-2012, 09:07 PM

Just want to say.. If anyone is thinking about buying a grinder, This thing is AWESOME. Save the extra cash and buy a TW-90 Its worth every penny.. Travis is a great guy to deal with, and his product is first class all the way!

I second that. It sounds like a lot of money for a grinder, but truth of the matter is you are buying two grinders in one - vertical and horizontal. Buying them separately, would cost more, take more space on your bench and won't be as easy to operate - tracking on this grinder is a breeze, as is swapping attachments.

M

Crothcipt

05-11-2012, 09:16 PM

Ok I went and looked how much the thing is. I can honestly see for running a business it being worth it, even more prob. Again I am comparing restaurant equipment but I have seen tilt skillets go for 20k, Hobarts go for over 20k. So in that line very cheap.:chef2: